Dixons In Action
by Cara.AnnSalvatore
Summary: Coming up to the estranged place of a church, Daryl never thought his past would be waiting him inside. As the doors opened and light spread through the sanctuary, Daryl dropped his bow in shock. There stood his wife, Scarlet and his little girl Cobain. Could this be real? This story follows along S5, so spoilers ahead! M for language and smut ;)
1. Reuniting

A/N: Hey people, this is my second attempt at a Walking Dead story. My first one left me burnt out because the idea I had for the plot became canon. Quick side note before we get goin'- yes, I have the same (or very similar) OCs in two stories. Whoops. I love this OC, so deal with it :)

From my knowledge, the apocalypse in the show has been going for about two years now, so that's what I'm going with. This will follow along with season five of WD, starting from the second episode "Strangers." Chapters will be short, but hopefully I'll post weekly or more. Here we go!

_**Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it.**_

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><p>Leaves crunch beneath my sturdy brown boots and I walk back from my little hunt. I only got three squirrels, but one for each us is okay for tonight. A bow made of twig and string and shooting with a carved arrow definitely isn't my hunting weapon of choice. But what could I do with my big-ass machetes? Sneak up real close and slice it's head off? That ain't a way to hunt for food. That'd be the way to- speak of the devil. I pull my Machete from the sheath I have on the belt 'round my waist and whack the blade across an incoming walker's neck, not even slowing my stride.<p>

I continue my walk through the path in the woods till I come to the creek. There's people! An older, fierce looking woman and a beefy black guy filling canteens. I stay hidden, crouching low in some brush to fill my own bottle as I listen in on what they're saying. It sounds like they were arguin' over something, then the guy insists something about 'the others accepting it.' Then the woman replies, and his face goes hard. I catch her say the name Lizzie and something starting with an M before the guy cuts her off, telling her he wanted to just forget it happened.

I screw my bottle shut and get out of there quickly, storing that information in my head. I keep up a fast stride, wanting to get back to the church quickly. I found myself getting through the doors withing ten minutes. Disregarding the game of chess being (trying to be) played between the priest and my daughter, I waste no time letting Gabriel know the situation

"There's a group out in the west woods."

Gabriel stands at hearing my voice. "People? How far?"

"Close enough to get to the creek, not far enough to notice us," I reply, grabbing the dried-blood towel and use it to wipe my machete clean. I hang the squirrels on a corner of the podium and then bring my attention to Rose, just now lookin' up from her intense stare at the plastic game pieces.

"Hi, Mama." She gets up to hug me, her dark auburn hair reachin' to my waist makin' me lean down to kiss the top of her head.

"Hey baby. I'll play that game with you in a minute but Gabriel and I need to have a little chat," Rose nods and I walk toward Gabriel, leading him down to the front doors of the church.

"So what exactly do you know about these people?" He asks.

"Nothin', 'cept I heard two of the talking by the creek. And older lady and a strong black man were discussing some of their own secrets and whether they would tell the rest of their group or not."

"Well what do you think that says about the group?" Gabriel was always askin' these questions; he couldn't make the kind of calls that were necessary most o'th' time. He's never even killed a damn walker by himself.

I run my hand through my wavy, strawberry auburn hair the land my hand on my hip. "I think these two have only been with this group for a few days, if they be talking 'bout hiding things they've done. I say we keep to ourselves. WHo knows what they could be hidin', and I just think it safer to expect the worst."

"I suppose... But shouldn't we seek them out? What if they need help? _Hebrews 13:2, 'Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.'_" I roll my eyes and the religious comment- those I haven't got comfortable with.

"People are more damaging than those walkers these days, Gabriel. I ain't going out of my way to help ones who're obviously hidin' hideous things." Gabriel's comments silence as I sit in one of the bleachers, pulling my ankle up to rub at it tentatively. I had surgery on it barely four weeks before the outbreak. "Now I need to take stock of our food and ammo- do you think you could cook up the squirrels on your own?" I ask.

Rose pops out from behind on of the benches, only two rows away from us. "I can help!"

I smirk and shake my head the girl. "Rose Cobain Dixon, you're's stealthy as your father!" She smiled her little crooked smile, bringin' out her dad's qualities in her even more. "Now, you're sure you can help with those squirrels tonight?"

"I can, mama! I remember how Papa did it, and I can show Gabriel. Lemme help," she pleaded. That's my girl- knowing what's best for us if up to me, but this six-year-old piece of dynamite is all about doing her part.

"Alright, baby." I walk with her back to the front of the church and she sits across from me on the other side of the chess game. "Okay, so the pawn can move forward but it can only capture other pieces diagonally..."

**X**

I wake up from the couple hours of shuteye I got and immediately look up to check is Rose is still lying on the couch. After confirming her presence, I get up and stretch my stiff back. The sky's already high in the sky- how'd I sleep this late? Grabbing my pistol from under my pillow I gently shake Rose away, handing her the small Swiss Army knife my husband used to carry around. I walk into the sanctuary and called out Gabriel's name.

No answer, and I hear the keys in the door; yet Gabriel didn't do the coded knock. But before I could shove Rose back behind a bleacher, people are flooding in the front of the church. I lift my pistol to the bearded man leads a group, and more people follow behind him. First a black woman with a rifle, a short-haired brunette with a rifle as well, an Asian guy with two guns on him and a man with a crossbo-

Daryl. It's fuckin' Daryl, right in front of me.

I lower my gun, and the bearded man tries to approach me, confused. But Daryl shoves past him, his crossbow lowered. He drops it to the ground when his piercing blue eyes meet my forest green ones. My mouth opens in a gasp, and Rose steps forward. It's Daryl that let's out a choked breath when our daughter beats me to him, running forward and jumping into her father's arms.

"Papa," I hear her cry into his shoulder. My body shocks awake again when Daryl lifts his head from Rose's hair and walks toward me. I take into a fast jog, pushing myself into his side as his free arm wraps tightly around my side.

"Daryl," I cry. Tears don't come easily to me, nor him, but I'm suddenly on the verge of sobs when I look up at him, raising my hand to the side of his face. "I thought I lost you."

His mouth breaks from its tight line into a wide smile, lookin' from me to Rose. "I can't believe you're both alive," he breathes. "Look'it you, Cobain! Hell, you're big now," he sighs. He lowers her to the ground, only from her to wipe at her puffy wet eyes. Daryl turns back to me and grabs me so tight, lifting me to his full height, my toes just dangling and barely brushing the floor.

"Daryl," a man says behind us. We both ignore the man and Daryl sets me down.

"Is this your sister or somethin'?" says a woman. But I drown out the people around me and pull my husband's face to mine, kissing him hungrily. God, I almost forgot how wonder his mouth feels against mine.

"Definitely not his sister," I hear another voice say behind us. Needed a breath, he pulls back and finally acknowledges the people around us- his group.

"Daryl, is this your family?" says the bearded man. Daryl, with his arm wrapped around me tightly, walks me forward to the man.

"Rick, meet my wife, Scarlet."

I stretch out my hand to Rick, giving him a warm smile. If Daryl trusts these people, I sure do. Rick looks from Daryl to me, then surprises me by pulling me into a hug.

"It's so great to meet you, Scarlet." Rick pulls away, looking between Daryl and I then back at Rose. "I'm glad you've made it so far, Daryl. Seein' your family again. And a daughter, I assume?"

I scoot back closer to Daryl, wrapping my arm around his waist tightly. I can't let him go ever again. "Yeah, she's our little firecracker. Rose," I tell him.

"Cobain," Daryl argues.

I smile at him and look back at Rick who gives us a questioning look. "We fought about the name forever. Legally it's _Rose_ _Cobain_ Dixon, he's the only one who addresses her by that."

"I love it," Rose says happily, coming next to her father. I smile, seeing Daryl's crooked grin meeting hers. The Asian guy and short brunette approach us next, introducing themselves as Glenn and Maggie. Gabriel comes to join us, and Rick goes outside to tell the rest of their group the place is clear.

I even hear him mention us; "Daryl's family is in there, too. His wife Scarlet and daughter Rose." People rush in at that, some of them gasping and others coming to introduce themselves immediately. From this reaction, I'm sure they all care about my husband. I'm so glad to be back with him after two years of assuming he was dead. Now, we're at peace.

**X**

I walked to get water with Daryl and Carol, and during so the two caught be up briefly about where they'd been. Obviously the two had a special relationship, and I'm so grateful Daryl had someone close when Merle got killed and through all this. Though they were close, Carol didn't know about Rose and me, which I don't fin surprising. IN times like this, I can tell why Daryl wouldn't be a fan of opening up about his life before. He though we were dead, so why make it painful to tell others about it?

When Daryl tried to ask Carol about what she'd done when she got kicked out of the prison, she'd closed him off and decided what was behind us was in the past. I respected that, but Daryl seemed a little edgy about not knowing what went on without him there.

We came across a car and bike, and checked them out for supplies. The battery of the car seemed dead, but then Carol found an emergency started in the trunk that showed it had a little power left. Daryl was all over this bike- a 1970 HArley Davidson with a carrier sack on the back and enough room for three. In ran like a beaut, but we left it hidden there under it's sheet. We decided if things went bad, Daryl, Rose, Carol and I would be able to take them and make a fresh start.

Once we all met back at the church, the evening fell upon us quickly, everyone in the group chatting and laughing and eating. It's the best night I've had in two damn years. Daryl at my side, holding me close and our daughter smiling all night, hanging around Carl and Judith.

"She's takin' a liking to Judith, ain't she?" Daryl says to me, his scruffy chin nudging my temple.

"Rose? Yeah, she really is." I smile, looking up at my husband and give him a slow kiss. "I really missed you, Daryl. Our girl too; you know what she said to me on her sixth birthday?"

Daryl's brows pulled together and turned his head down to see me at a better angle. "Six? Damn, before this all started you was just talkin' about putting her in preschool," he sighed.

"I know, time does that," I chuckle. "Rose looked up to me, and she asked if you were to come back, could we give her a little brother or sister. That's what she asked for."

Daryl's mouth pulls into a tight little smirk. "If all this were different, better, maybe we could." I shake my head at him, smilin' into the bit of food in my lap. Daryl pushes some strands of sun-kissed hair behind me ear, leanin' down to speak in my ear. "How 'bout we at least practice, fer now." He places an open kiss right blow my ear, sending shivers to my spine.

"God dammit, I want you," I sigh into his shoulder. He takes the can out of my lap, pullin' me closer to him and I slide my leg over his lap. He pulls up from my neck and runs his hands down my sides, feeling the small curves I have left. I can tell he's disappointed, upset maybe, that I've lost so much weight to lack of nutrition. But he then runs his hands through my hair, the curls strung out sand looking more like loose waves.

"You cut your hair," he states, feeling the edges that now land just at my chest. It used to reach my waist.

"It got in the way."

"It's sexy," he smirks, pullin' my face down to kiss him again. Just as I feel his tongue in my mouth, I hear a couple hoots and claps to get our attention- Tyrone.

"What'chu need big guy?" Daryl groans, looking over my shoulder.

Tyrone laughs. "There're kids present! Keep it PG!"

Everyone laughs, looking at the two of us. I laugh along, scooting off Daryl's lap, making him roll his eyes. I open my mouth to reply, but Rose does first.

"There always like this," she says casually. "Uncle Merle used to say they're like horny teenagers, whatever that means."

The group busts up at that too, and that's when Daryl's face goes hard. Shit, I haven't even asked what'd happened to Merle; if they'd stayed together or something. I give Daryl a questioning look and he just shakes his head. Merle's dead- don't need to talk anymore about it, is what his face read. I nodded back and looked to the crowd.

Abraham proposes a toast. He says each and everyone of the group has earned the title of survivor and toasts. "Look around this room- I see survivors. Each and Every one of you has earned that title. To the survivors."

Everyone toasts back, but he continues. "Is that all you want to be?" he asks. "Wake up in the morning, fight the undead pricks, forge for food, go to sleep with one eye open, wash and repeat? 'Cause you can do that; got the power, got the skill. The thing is, for you people, all you can do is surrender. But if we get Eugene to Washington he can make the dead die and the living will have this world again and that's not a bad takeaway from a little road trip." He pauses, and it's so silent you ca hear Judith mumbling her baby talk. "Eugene, What's in DC?" he finishes with a question.

"There's infrastructure constructed to withstand pandemics even of this FUBAR magnitude. That means food, fuel and refuge. Restart."

Looking at Judith and Rick, Abraham finishes his pitch. "However this plays out, how long it takes for this reset button to kick in, you can be safe there. Safer than you've been since this whole thing started. Come with us. Help us save the world, for the little ones," he nods to Judith then ROse and Carl. "Or for yourselves... Save it for the people out there. WE don't got nothin' left to do 'cept survive."

Judith coos in perfect timing of RIck's response. "I think she knows what I'm about to say," he jokes. I let out a chuckle along with the others as he continues. "She's in. If she's in I'm in. We're in."

We all hoot and holelr, ROse comin' over to us, takin' her place in Daryl's laugh and givin' him a squeeze. We all celebrate, Maggie coming over to offer me a glass of comunion wine, and I take it gratefully. While doing so I see the ring on her left hand.

"That's a beautiful ring," I tell her.

"Thank you. So, you and Daryl? How long you been together? He's never talked about it," she says. "D'you have a ring, too?"

I smile at the curious girl. "A while. We met when I was sixteen, an' he was twenty-two."

"Oooh, older man, huh?" Maggie nudges me. That's the first time I've heard a positive response wen someone finds out our age gap! I'm starting to like this girl.

"Yeah-huh. Anyways, I moved in with him when I was eighteen and we got away. Long story short, we got hitched when I was twenty-two and had Rose just a few years later. She was the best accident we ever had," I laugh.

Maggie laughs, too, and puts her hand on my shoulder. "That's sweet. Never thought Daryl was the marrying type! But you're sure s keeper, so I shouldn't blame him."

I smirk. "And no we ain't got rings. Tats instead," I lift my hand, showing her the tattoo on my ring finger. Small, black italic cursive reads '**_Daryl_**.'

"Aww, that's so sweet!"

"Yeah, we're not the most materialistic people and it wasn't either of our first tattoos."

Maggie's about to say something when Daryl rushes up to me. "What is it, babe?" I ask.

"Carol's gone. Probably took the car we found. I gotta go find her," he says to me so Maggie doesn't hear.

Though I'd really rather him not leave like this, I know it's what he's gotta do. I stand on my toes to kiss him quickly before pushing him toward the door and telling him to go.

Maggie looks to me. "What was that about?"

I cover quick. "Jus' telling me where in the woods to meet him tonight. Ya know, reuniting-night-time-business to do later."

"Of course!" Maggie laughs. "I'll see ya in the morning then, Scarlet. Have a good night!"

"You too, hun."

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><p>AN: Hope you liked it! Will post another soon if you review- they're appreciated :)


	2. Kids Care

_**Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Walking Dead, but I do own my OCs and their stories.**_

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><p>After our meal, I go over to sit with Rose and Carl, who's holding Judith.<p>

"She's adorable," I gush at Carl. He smiles and rocks her back, showing even more of her gorgeous face. Rose scoots closer next to Carl, looking down at the baby.

"Do you think I could hold her? I'll be super-duper careful," she asks.

Carl smiles. "Sure, Rose. Here, use your elbow and hold up her head like this. Okay? Here, you got her," he directs her. Once Judith is settled in Rose's arms, Rose's face lights up.

"Look, Mama!"

I get up to sit on the other side of my daughter, Carl close at her right. "I see, baby. You're great with her," I comment. She really is. Judith smiles and coos at Rose, grabbing at her wavy red hair. It's such a sight to see- my baby with another baby. Reminds me of the day Rose was born.

**X**

_January 26, 2008_

_"Dammit," I sigh. With just moving into the new place, half of our things are still packed and I can't find a spoon to eat my cereal. I maneuver around the couple boxes still in the kitchen, careful not to get stuck with my massive belly. Jesus, there's the silverware... On top of three other boxes. I try to reach up, but it's not gonna happen. Then I feel Daryl behind me, reaching the small box with ease. He sets the box on the counter, and I smile, turning around to face him. "Thanks babe."_

_"You shouldn't be strainin' yourself like that," Daryl replies. He runs his hands down my sides, and I slide u to sit on the counter. He leans in to start kissing my neck. "Did I tell you how lucky I am?"_

_I smile, wrapping my arm around his neck and into his hair. "Not today," I reply. He moves up to my mouth, giving me a hungry kiss._

_"Well now I did."_

_I smirk at him, pulling him closer by the belt loops in his jeans so my legs can wrap around his hips. "Tell me another way, Daryl," I tease him. He tugs at the sweats I'm wearing, helping me up so he could pull then down to my knees. I unbutton his jeans as we kiss each other feverishly. But before you know it, as we're gettin' heated up, my water breaks._

_"Oh, shit," I say. Daryl opens his blue eyes and looks at me questioningly._

_"What? What's wrong?"_

_I nod toward the fluid running down the side of the cabinet I'm sitting on. "The baby's comin', we gotta go!"_

_Daryl's eyes open wide and he helps my off the counter, frantically helping me pull up my sweatpants, muttering, "Shit, shit, shit, I'm not ready for this, holy fuckin' shit! Shit shit shit!"_

_I waddle my way out the house, Daryl still in the bedroom throwing clothes into a duffel bag. Once I reach the car, I feel the most intense pain and let out a scream. _

_"DARYL! Get your ass out here, we need to go!" _

_"I'M COMIN', I'M COMIN'!" he yells, finally joining me at the truck. He helps me into the seat before he slides into the driver's side, speeding to the hospital._

**.**

_"AHHHH, FUCKING FUCK!" I yell. It's four hours into this labour and I'm _done_. Daryl called Merle and my good friend Jewel and despite their differences, the two are here in the room with me. (Jewel's black. Merle's a racist asshole. You get the picture.) _

_"God, I can't watch this," Daryl growls. He's been pacing around the room, barely able to look at me in this state. "How much longer?"_

_Dr. Montgomery looks up at Daryl. "She's almost ten centimeters dilated, and her contractions are only two minutes apart-"_

_"I don't know what that means! Give me an answer!"_

_Jewel loosens from my grip on her hand to talk to him. "She's almost there, Daryl, your kid'll be here soon." She smiles her 100 watt smile._

_Merle slapped Daryl on the back. "I'mma be an uncle to a little Daryl or Darylina!" _

_Daryl finally stopped pacing, coming to take Jewel's spot next to me. I work up the best smile I can when he takes my hand, but I'm soon screaming bloody murder._

_"DAMMIT, GET THIS THING OUTTA ME! WHERE'S MARINA? WHY ISN'T SHE HERE!"_

_Daryl runs a hand through his shaggy hairy. "She's on her way, baby. Just hold on tight-" he says to me, then looks to Dr. Montgomery. She smiles, then looks back up to me._

_"You're crowning! Alright, Scarlet, gimme a big push. One, two, thr-"_

_"AHHHHHHH!" I feel sweat droplets form on my forehead, and Daryl's strong hand still seems to be crushed within mine._

_Dr. Montgomery smiles. "Great job, Scarlet. You're almost there. Can you do one-"_

_"AARRRRRRGGGHHHHH!" I push before she's even finished her sentence, and soon I hear the cry of our baby and in the corner of my eye I see a whip of long blonde hair._

_"Holy shit," Daryl breathes._

_Merle and Jewel both sigh. "Holy shit is right," says Merle. Marina comes over to my side, huggin' on me in the awkward positioning of the hospital bed. _

_"Oh my god, Scarlet. You're a mom and I almost missed it!" She sighs._

_I smirk looking up at my best friend. "You're here now, Rina," I sigh. Daryl finally makes his way over, and I finally relax into the bed, closing my eyes and feeling Daryl's rough hand wipe at my forehead. "Is.. Is it a girl? Or a boy?" I open my eyes up at Daryl. "Is it Rose or Cobain?" __Daryl laughs, but before he can ask and answer, Merle makes a comment. _

_"I don't see no penis, but that could just be how small it is. Daryl's kid, after all."_

_"Not the time, Merle." Daryl growls. Dr. Montgomery finally brings the baby over, cleaned off and wrapped in a pink blanket. A pink blanket!_

_"Congrats, Scarlet. Looks like you've got a little Rose," she tells me. She sets Rose into my arms, and I cradle her carefully._

_"She's my Rose," I choke out. God, I thought if the pregnancy was over I'd stop all the damn crying._

_"Could still be Cobain," says Daryl. I wipe the tears away with my free hand before whacking his side._

_Marina comes over to my other side, looking down at my beautiful girl's face. "She's got your hair, red," she says to me, gesturing to the red tufts on Rose's head. _

_Jewel comes over too. "And Daryl's eyes." They're both right- when Rose opened her eyes they stunned me with the pale blue that looked just like her father's._

_"Jesus, man. You're a dad," says Merle, coming over to take a peek at his niece. "She's a beaut."_

_Daryl nods, but his eyes are glued to the little girl in my arms. I lift her up a bit to him, "You wanna hold her?" Daryl shakes his head but I lift Rose up a bit more, forcing him to take her. He then sits down in the chair beside my bed, being super cautious. I feel tears well in my eyes again when I see how his face lights up looking at her. His eyes return to mine, giving the smallest and most meaningful smile I've ever received._

**X**

I'm knocked out of my Daze when Sasha, Tyreese and Rick come in from outside. Sasha is approaching at Gabriel the second she steps foot inside.

"Stop," she tells him. "What are you doing?"

Gabriel looks up at her with his 'innocent' face questioningly, but Sasha keeps going. "This is all connected; you show up and people are watching us. And now three of us are _gone_."

"I don't- I don't have anything to do with this," Gabriel pleads. Sasha takes out a knife.

"Put it away!" Yells Tyreese.

Sasha raises her voice "Who's out there? Where are our people?! Where are our people!"

Through the yelling and screaming, Gabriel keeps repeating, "I don't have anything to do with this." Finally, Rick stops Sasha and approaches Gabriel more calmly.

"Why did you bring us here?"

"I- I do-"

"Are you working alone?"

I step in for Gabriel. "Yes, Rick. We're alone. It's always been the three of us, since I got here."

Rick relaxes a little. "How long've you been here?"

"'Bout two months."

Rick's eyes dart from me to Gabriel suspiciously. "Do you know what's out there?" he asks me, then turn back to Gabriel. "What about the woman at the food bank, what did you do to her? _"YOU'LL BURN FOR THIS,"_ that was for you. What did you do that you'll burn for?"

I sigh and rub at my temples while Gabriel starts hyperventilating, muttering shit about locking the doors at night. Obviously I've got to take over from here.

"It ain't his fault," I start. Now I've got Rick's attention. "He didn't do much wrong. He locks the doors of the church at night, he told me. He said he always has and... and when this all started he'd been in the church. Real' early in the mornin'. So when all the churchgoers came, lookin' for safety from the walkers, the doors were still locked. But Gabriel was so panicked he didn't let them in. The dead eventually came for them, with all the noise they were makin'." I nod toward Gabriel, who Rose as come over to comfort, rubbing his back like I'd do to her. "That's all I know."

Rick clears his throat. "Well, I-"

"This is my punishment," Gabriel calls out. "God has sent you all to me to be killed. You.. Your group is my punishment," he cries. I sigh and turn to Rick, who seems okay with the answers I gave him.

"I can't tell you where Daryl is," I start. "But I can tell you that it was Carol who ran off. He just went out lookin' for her. He'll bring he back within the day, I hope."

Rick looks less than shocked. "Why would Carol run off?"

"That ain't my business. But I trust my husband and I wouldn't've let him go if I didn't think he could get her back."

"You're right. Daryl's-"

We both stop talking when there's a faint whistling outside. Glenn goes to the window to see what it's about.

"Something's going on... There's someone lying in the grass!" he exclaims. Tyreese, Sasha, Glenn, Rick and I all run out, weapons ready. There's Bob, lying in the grass- with the lower half of his leg cut off. I hear rustling in the trees then suddenly we're being fired at. Rick and I both shoot blindly into them, hoping we'd caught whoever'd done this to Bob. Sasha, Glenn and Tyreese all use their efforts to pick Bob up and bring him inside. Covering their backs as we head in the church, I see an 'A' written in blood on the side on the church. Rick does too, and I direct them to the office where Gabriel had offered Rose and I to sleep. They lay him down on the couch and I go to get him some water.

"What's happening?" Carl asks me, helping me gather any cloth to stop hold the bleeding.

"It's Bob. He was left outside, amputated," I tell him and he nods, following me back into the office. I trust Rick and Carl, some of the others too. Carl seems like a very smart, level-headed person. Rick nods me out and I decide to sit out this interrogation with Bob, stay in the church and watch the kids. I grab a big bag of oyster soup crackers Rick n' them had found at the food bank, sitting between the bleachers with Rose, Carl and Judith,

"So," I start. "Bob's not in good shape. But I thought we could play a game of Never Have I Ever with the crackers."

"What's that?" Rose asks me, but Carl answers.

"It's where one person says something they've never done, and if you've done it you..." I give Carl a look so he doesn't mention that it's really a drinking game. "-eat a cracker."

Rose smiles. "Okay! Can I start?" Carl and I both nod. "Hmm... ever have- wait no, that's not right. Never have I ever... met a leprechaun."

I stifle my laughter when Carl reaches for a cracker. Rose shouts in exclamation.

"No way! You got to meet a leprechaun?"

"Yep," replies Carl calmly. "Came to my school and gave a lecture about stealing. 'If ya ever put yer hand on me gold, I'd geet ma beatin' stick and slap you silly!'"

Rose and I laugh at his impression as the Irish leprechaun, and Carl nods to me, signaling my turn.

"Okay, I'll go next. Never have I ever... failed a text in school." Neither of the kids reach for the crackers and I give them both high fives. "Alright Carl, you're up."

"Never have I ever met a famous person," he says. Rose proudly grabs two crackers, eating them with her father's smirk on her face. "Who've you met, Rose?!" Carl asks her, trying to match her excitement.

"My Uncle Keenan skateboards on TV," she says. "And my Aunt Marina is does art."

Carl's eye widen. "Wait, you're not talking about Keenan LeJohnson?"

I nod. "We went to school together, all of us and my friends Jewel and Sam. Known them all since kindergarten," I tell him proudly.

"You're best friend is my idol," Carl says, smiling. "Seriously- I used to watch every video of him and if I hadn't, I wouldn't know how to kick-flip so flawlessly."

I laugh at Carl's confidence. "You're a lot like Keen, actually." He beams at my comments, laughing quietly.

Rose's smile turns into a little frown. "I miss drawing with Auntie Rina, and playing Dare Or Dare with Sam and Papa." She sniffles, and I hear the knot in her throat as she speaks. "And getting a makeover from Auntie Jewel, and... and riding down the sidewalk with Uncle Keenan on his board..."

I open my arms as Rose crawls into my lap, crying quietly into my shoulder. I pet at her head, stroking her red braids. "I know, honey. I miss them too."

Carl scoots closer and touches Rose's shoulder, making her look up at him. She immediately crawls out on my arms and into Carl's. He smiles at me and I smile back, holding back my own tears. I've got to be strong for Rose, even though the loss of my best friends. Carl nods me off and i turn around to see the group come out of the office.

"You okay here with Carl, baby?" I ask Rose. She wipes at her pale blue eyes and nods. "Thanks," I tell Carl before approaching the group.

"So what's going on?" I ask Rick.

"Bob tells us there's a group from Terminus, the last place we were. They're held up at a school near here, capturing people and... Well, Bob just confirmed they're taking people for food."

"Food? You mean..."

"Yeah. That's why he's missing his leg," Glenn says.

I turn to make sure the kids are out of hearing. "That's fucked up. So now what do we do? Go after these assholes?"

Rick cleared his throat. "I say that's the best option. Get to the elementary school and take out Gareth and his people."

"Why engage in them?" Abraham says loudly, gaining our attention. "We need to leave. This environment is too dangerous, we can't keep Eugene is such a hostile zone. I Say we pack up, take the bus and get to Washington ASAP."

Oh, Jesus. Here we go.

I tune out the arguing, only putting my thoughts in when Rick mentions staying for Daryl and Carol to come back. Of course that's what we're gonna do, it's Abraham with the crazy impatience.

"Another day," Glenn interjects. "Stay another day, and if Daryl and Carol don't come back by then... then me and Maggie will come with you to Washington."

Rick and I are stunned at Glenn's offer, but before we can say anything about it, Abraham answers.

"Half of a day, and Tara comes too," he states. Glenn looks back at Tara who nods. "Alright then." Abraham and Glenn shake hands and now suddenly Rick's input is out of the question, apparently.

**.**

It was decided that under the cover of night, Rick, Michonne, Sasha, Glenn, Maggie, Tara, and Abraham would leave the church to go to the elementary school. I insisted on staying back here in case Daryl came back. The rest of us were cleaning up our things, putting them in order. But soon after the group disappears into the woods, we hear noise come from the woods.

"Everyone in the office. Now," I whisper harshly. I signal them to be silent, then point to the doors. These people are smart, they knon I know people are out there. Shit, and Rick took basically all of our good weapons to the school.

I get everyone in the office just before the Hunters break into the church. As their feet patter around the sanctuary, Gareth (the leader) asks the us to come out, telling us that he knows that Rick and the others took the majority of our weapons to the elementary school. I shake my head at everyone. We're not coming out in surrender to be killed.

But when we don't comply, Gareth calls for Gabriel saying that if he reveals himself and the group, they won't kill him or Judith. How do they know about us? And if he's willing to spare one child, why not the others? Carl may be a teen but he's still a kid.

We still keep quiet. As the Hunters search, Judith begins crying and now... Well now we're fucked. Gareth and the Hunters give us one last chance to come out before they break down the door.

I hush everyone still. Now Gareth gives the orders for the others to break down our door. I have my pistol raised, but the two guys in front of me are immediately shot down from behind. The Hunters turn around as Rick appears from the shadows and orders them to drop their weapons. Yes! Rick to the rescue!

I stifle a laugh when Gareth starts to panic and sweat drips down his forehead when he tries to get Rick to back down by threatening the rest of his group. Rick unceremoniously shoots off his middle and index fingers as he points at the door. Man, I like this guy.

Gareth fall to his knees and tells the rest of the Hunters to do as Rick says. Ha! What a pussy. All of them except one, who I hear is called Martin, kneel. He insists they didn't just get their asses kicked.

Now Abraham steps out of the shadows and puts his rifle to Martin's head, and orders him to get down, which Martin does. He's smart. Rick then walks to Gareth, who tries to tell Rick that they used be good people who really _did_ accept newcomers into Terminus until "they" arrived and changed everything, and tries to convince Rick to let them go.

I don't really understand this, but what I do get is when Rick explains why he it's too dangerous for him to do that, then reminds Gareth of a promise he made to him back in Terminus. Again, I don't get what they're talking about, but then Rick pulls out my machete I let him take with the red handle from his belt and slashes Gareth with it, who screams in agony as Rick, Michonne, Sasha, and Abraham hack and bludgeon the remaining Hunters to death. It's quite a horrific scene and I'm glad I've got Rose in the far corner of the office, because though she may have to hear the screams at least she doesn't have to see the bloody horror.

When it is all over, Gabriel comes out from behind the door and surveys the carnage, as Rick, Michonne and Abraham walk past him to check on the rest of the group. Rick comes up to me, checking to see if Daryl's come back. I sadly shake my head.

I walk out into the sanctuary to see how shocked Gabriel is. He looks at Maggie, Glenn and I in astonishment.

"This is the Lord's house," he exclaims meekly.

Maggie looks at him, and coldly replies, "No, it's just four walls and a roof." Gabriel turns away and I smirk at Maggie.

"I like you."

"You too. Too bad I'm goin' to D.C. without you," he says solemnly.

I soften my smile. "Daryl'll be back tomorrow, I know it. He wouldn't leave us behind. Then we'll all get on that bus and serve in fixin' this royally-fucked world we're livin' in."

**X**

These past few days have been hell. Of course yesterday was wonderful, seein' Daryl again and having that wonderful full belly. Still thought, he had to leave just before we needed him most- the Hunters attacked, which was scary as hell. And all today was is the group saying goodbye to Bob, consumed to the fate of a walker bite. The worst part is I didn't even know him, and bein' around everyone grieving just brings the thoughts of missing Daryl back to me.

But I've finally got Rose down to sleep, only with the help of one of her father's jackets left to use as her blanket. I lie down next to her, but I can't sleep through the night, wondering where Daryl is.

.

The next morning I'm up before the sun. I grab my machete and head outside the church to find Michonne cleaning and inspecting her katana. Our weapons are kind of similar, I notice. I sit down next to her.

"Can't sleep?" she asks. I nod. "I don't blame you, probably wondering where Daryl is."

"Exactly," I reply. I give her a sarcastic, open-mouthed smile. "You know me so well!"

She laughs. "I'd like to. You see-" I silence her, hearing something rustling in the woods right in front of us. I wipe my machete clean and stand carefully from the step, approaching the edge of trees silently. I feel Michonne beside me, ready to fight off any of the Hunters who could be left, or maybe just walkers.

What I didn't expect was it to be Daryl! My posture softens and I lower my machete, closing the space between us so I can just feel his body again mine. "Jesus, Dare. You could-" I stop, pulling away from his grip on me. I look behind him, and then to Michonne next to me.

"Where's Carol?" she asks him. Daryl lowers his hands from my waist and looks behind him to the forest.

"C'mon out, now."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: That was just covering "Four Walls and a Roof" before I watch the latest episodes of Walking Dead and by AU story can come a bit more alive :) Thanks for the follows and favorites, but I'd reeeeaaaalllyyyy love some reviews. I wanna know what you think! .xx**


	3. Allies

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Walking Dead but I do own my OCs. I don't own the information I got from the Walding Dead Wikia ._**_  
><em>

* * *

><p>Beth is woken by the sunlight coming through her window. A window? She sits up and surveys her room, walking to the window. She's shocked to see the ruins of Atlanta. Beth bangs on her door, and in comes Dr. Steven Edwards, his medical aid Sam, and officer Dawn Lerner. After introducing themselves, Dr. Edwards tells Beth she's at Grady Memorial Hospital. Dawn coldly informs Beth of her debt to them, just after Sam tells her he and the Doctor fixed her broken wrist and stitched up her cheek.<p>

Uncertain and wary of her environment, Beth follows Dawn's orders to go along with Sam and Dr. Edwards on their hospital rounds. Dr. Edwards seems nice, business-like. An average white guy, he's got a beard and seems in his forties, on the short side with a big belly. Sam on the other hand, is a younger guy, maybe thirty-two, tops. He's tall, over 6 ft. and probably half Asian. Very lean but strong, too, like he played several sports.

Beth's observations are interrupted when they come to the first patient. He was hooked up to several machines, but after the doctor did his check-up, he told Sam to pull the plug and before she knew it, Beth was wheeling a dead body through the halls. Of course the doctor jammed a knife through the patient's temple, but Beth still had questions. Why had they killed the man? Couldn't they have saved him?

"If a patient doesn't improve almost immediately, we pull the plug. Resources are scarce," Dr. Edwards replies. Beth nods quietly and Sam steers them to an elevator shaft.

"If the bodies are still warm," Sam starts, "the dead will come for them. Cleans up most of it."

"Oh," says Beth. She's going to need help getting used to this.

**.**

At the cafeteria, Beth is approached by a guy in uniform.

"You're lookin' better n' better," he says. Beth doesn't reply. "Me and my boys had a lead on some guns, we were far out. Then we saw you wriggling in the road and I ran out to get ya. You don't remember, do ya?"

"I was fighting off a walker, then everything went black," she says.

"It was high on your thighs when we got there. But I got out there first, jacked that rotter out," he tells her. "I'm Gorman. You know when someone does you a favour, it's courtesy to show your appreciation." Beth ignores his disgusting hinted undertone and continues taking her food. "Unless you want me to write down everything you're taking. Everything costs something, right?"

Beth looks up in shock, but before she can say anything a curvy black woman comes to her side.

"And nobody is gonna go along with your type of payment," she sasses. Gorman walks away and so does Beth and the woman who stood up for her.

"You're new, ain't ya?" she asks.

"Yeah, thank you. For helpin' me just there. I'm Beth."

"Jewel. Nice t' meet you," Jewel says with a smile. Gosh, her smile is blinding, especially with the contrast of her caramel coloured skin.

**.**

Dr. Edwards re-stitches Beth's cheek after the wound was opened by Dawn. She was lashing out because of bad news she'd gotten about a patient, and slapped Beth. Dr. Edwards leaves Beth to give her privacy, allowing her to put on the clean shirt one of the launders left for her. She finds a lollipop in the pocket and smiles, knowing it was one of the two she saw Dawn scolding earlier. One was a girl; tall, blonde, blue-eyed gorgeousness and a tall, thin handsome black guy.

Sam takes Beth with him when Dr. Edwards is called to a patient down the hall and they find a woman, Joan,who's been bitten. Her arm has to be amputated but she refuses treatment, then it is revealed she was trying to escape from the hospital. Despite his obvious discomfort and disagreement to the treatment plan, Sam urges Beth to help hold Joan down while they saw her arm off.

**.**

After the horrific scene, Beth takes her bloody clothes straight to the laundry room where she meets the two launders.

"You okay?" asks the blonde. "I'm Marina. That's Noah, or the lollipop guild."

"Beth. And thanks for that."

Noah shrugs. "Figured you needed a pick-me-up after this morning," he pulls out some scrubs. "Here, these should fit."

Beth takes the clothes, then an intake of breath like she was going to say something, but in rushes Jewel, the girl from earlier.

"It's Keenan," she says, out of breath.

Marina's eyes go wide. "He... Did he wake up?"

Jewel can't get another word in until Sam comes in, holding his own bloody clothes. It doesn't look like Sam knows anything about this 'Keenan,' but with the looks Jewel and Marina are giving him, he will soon.

"Oh, hey Beth. I'm so glad you've met Jewel and Mar," he says casually, setting his laundry in a basket. He ruffles through to find the scrubs his size. "They're good friend of mine. We-"

"Sam," Marina stops him.

"What?"

Marina eyes Jewel, waiting for an answer from her. Noah also seems very interested in what's going on.

"He's awake," Jewel says. "Keenan's awake."

Marina and Sam immediate push through the doors, running out into the hall. Luckily Jewel and Noah stay back with Beth to explain what's going on as they walk the halls for Keenan's room.

"So were you all a group when you came in?" asks Beth.

"No," says Noah. "Marina and I found each other right when this started and were on our own for a year, found a walled community in Richmond and stayed there. Then we found this place."

"Wow. So, you've been here... about a year, huh?" Noah nods. "But the rest of you seem so close, have you all been here since-?"

"No," Jewel stops her. "Marina, Sam, Keenan and I have all known each other since... Well, I've known Sam all my life. Then Marina and Keenan I met in high school- they had an on and off again thing that didn't resolve _officially_ _off_ until we were twenty-something. Then..."

It sounds like Jewel is going to say more, but Noah finishes for her.

"Jewel had been with Sam, and they got here around six months ago. But Keenan came in around when Marina and I did, and... he's been in a coma since."

Beth absorbs all this fairly quickly. So the four besides Noah all know each other, and ended up here nonetheless. Wow. And poor Keenan.

"And... Now he's awake?" Beth replies.

Jewel breaks into a smile. "From all that, all you cared about was that the famous Ken-Barbie lookin' one is unconscious?"

"No, I- I-"

"I'm jus' playin'," Jewel teases. "Now c'mon, I wanna see Keenan. He'll like you."

"Thanks," Beth says. Did she say he was famous?

* * *

><p>Since Daryl left the church he's felt guilty to leaving his family again, but after the time he spent with Carol and becoming such close friends... he couldn't not go with her. And now? They could get a shot at finding Beth.<p>

Daryl and Carol make their way into what looks like an executive's office. Carol looks out the window at the burned and destroyed city below. Carol says that Daryl still hasn't asked her what happened after she met up with Tyreese and the girls. Daryl says he knows what happened that they ain't here, and if it was worse he doesn't wanna know because they were around the same age as his own girl.

"I started over," Daryl says. "After the first coouple months, I actually tried to forget about my life b'fore. And being with y'all, though it made me miss my fam'ly even more, it... it helped make me start over. Now I've got them back, and it feels so good. But what... what I'm tryin' to say is we don't start over because we want to. We start over because we have to."

Daryl finishes his little speech and Carol smiles before he notices something outside. He looks through the scope of Carol's rifle to see a van of the bridge- the van has two white crosses on the rear window, so he thinks it could be a lead to whoever has Beth. Carol starts filling up her canteen from a water cooler, gathering their things before they head out.

Daryl and Carol make their way back through the small opening in the chained door. Carol pushes the rifle through the doorway and goes outside first, noticing that there're two tents with walkers inside. When Daryl gets outside, a tall, thin black guy is holding a rifle at him.

"Lay down your weapons," he says, shakily. They hesitate. "No one needs to get hurt just... we need your weapons."

Finally, Daryl and Carol comply. The thief tells them both that they look tough and that they will be , he cuts the tents open and lets the walkers out, before running away.

Daryl stabs one of the walkers, and Carol pulls out a pistol and shoots one of the walkers. Carol points her gun at the guy's back, but Daryl pushes the gun away so she misses.

They chase after the guy, but he is gone. Carol asks Daryl if he thought that she was going to kill him, and that she was aiming for his leg. Daryl says that he was just a kid, near Beth's age. Carol points out that he got their weapons and without weapons they and Beth could die.

Daryl and Carol make their way to the van on the bridge. The van is halfway off the edge of the bridge, headfirst. Carol points out the obvious that's it's unstable, but they continue to scavenge in it for supplies. As they search the van, a horde of walkers approach. Daryl notices hospital supplies in the van, and Carol tells him she knows Grady Memorial Hospitalis nearby.

The walkers approach and Daryl and Carol use their best efforts to kill them, but they're not gonna get the whole herd. Accepting their fate of not killing their way through this, Daryl asissts Carol asthey climb into the front of the van. Daryl tells Carol to buckle up, as the walkers push the van off the bridge. The van lands right side up, andDaryl and Carol are dazed, but they are both okay, thank _God_ (if there is one.) A couple of walkers fall off the bridge onto the van. Daryl and Carol make their way out of the van and take off on foot.

Daryl and Carol are stopped outside a building to rest, and Daryl gives Carol some water to drink. Carol's shoulder is injured, but she says that she's had worse. Carol jokes that they made good time getting down.

Carol says they are only three blocks from Grady. Daryl and Carol enter a building, and Daryl finds a very weak walker on the floor, still holding a scarily familiar machete. He takes the machete and uses it to put down the walker. They look across at the hospital. Daryl tells Carol a little about his past, how Scarlet was always into knives and machetes, and that she had one just like this one. Carol tells him that it's not odd to find one out here, since the machetes are pretty good zombie killing weapons. She jokes that Scarlet might've had a secret obsession with the apocalypse, and Daryl replies quickly saying that no, she didn't have an obsession with anything but music.

Daryl hears something, and they both go to investigate. It's a walker that is stuck to the wall by an arrow. Daryl confirms it's his, and then they hear gunfire, they walk around the corner of the hall to see the thief trying to lift a bookshelf off two struggling people. There is a walker struggling to get through the door that was behind the bookshelf.

Carol catches up, and Daryl and Carol take their weapons back. The thief asks why they followed him and begs them for help, but Daryl says he already helped him once and it "ain't happening again". Daryl finds a carton of cigarettes and lights a smoke. Carol yells at Daryl to help the guy, but Daryl says to let him be and walks away. The walker pushes through the door and is about to get the thief, but Daryl turns around and shoots the walker with an arrow at the last second.

Just as Daryl takes another puff, a young woman peeks her blonde head from under the bookcase. Her eyes lock with Daryl, and he drops his cigarette. The space the blonde created enough for the other trapped person to get out- it's a tall, thing Asian guy who doesn't notice the people around him. He and the thief lift the bookcase of of the blonde and then she brushes off, getting thoroughly checked out by the Asian.

"Daryl Dixon," she scolds. "Didn't Scar get you to stop smoking?"

The Asian finally whips around and sees there're two other people in the room. His eyes widen and he steps up really close to Daryl. If it were anyone else, it would be seriously wrong to get up in Dixon's personal bubble. But the Asian finally broke his stare and pulled Daryl in for a quick, tight hug.

"Sam," Daryl greets, smiling just the slightest bit. The he turns back to the blonde. "Marina. You aren't to say a word'a this to Scar, alright Cullumbine?"

She shakes her head, long pale locks shaking around her head. "Shut up, Dixon." She walks over and gives him a hug, too.


	4. AN: Pause

A/N:

Hi guys. I know this wasn't what you were expecting, and I'm sorry I couldn't you an update before i leave. I'm going away for a while where there'll be no internet, so I won't be posting. _This does not mean I'm discontinuing ! _I will update as soon as I can when I get home, and I'll try to write as much I can before I go to give me a jump-start for when I get back. I hope you can all understand & thanks for your support.

Sincerely,

Cara


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